Trench digging machine



Aug. l5, 1950 F. J SCHMIDT 'IRENCH DIGGING MACHINE Original Filed June 20, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 l l INVENToR. F raedmch J. .Schrm'c Aug 15, 1950 F. J. SCHMIDT 2,519,077

TRENcH `DIGGING MACHINE Original Filed June 20, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR.

l''iedrlch J. Schmidt WP' w20/ Aug. 15, 1950 F. J. SCHMIDT 2,519,077

TRENCH DIGGING MACHINE Original Filed L Iune'20, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug. 15e 1950 2,519,071 "YRNHIIGGNG fsa-mat, Auburn, New; fu

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with the beam between the sleeves;32, 34, and a keyed to the drive-shaft 28 is a drive sprocket f wheel 58. Mounted in a corresponding position at the lower end of the beamis an idler sprocket 1| I8. An endless loop of Udigger chain` IIIV is trained over the sprocket wheels and carries digger blades |22 thereon for engaging the earth with a broaching action and for elevating the loosened earth to the surface.

The construction and operation ofthe digger blades `isi set, forth in myA copending divisional application; Serial Ila-.124,041 led October 28, 1949. .For the present purposes it `will suflice to say thatthe'diggerblades are formed of curved plates of metal having-a sharpened `leading edge and free of pockets or bucket-like receptaclesfor catching the loosened earth. As a further feature, the cutterblades :are arranged alternately on the sidesfofthe chain withv successive pairs having a' different-widthor lateral'span. One might -well wonder how the blades, being' arranged in non-'opposing relation on the chain and ireeofscoops or .thelike, can be effective to eleyate the earth to the surface. It is believed that the elevationA can be explained by. the repeated urgingor impact imparted to the ,earth by the successivebladesA and the dragl of thechain itself.;'The factthat the channel cut by the blades is;considerably inclined aids inthe process. The jamming and clogging associated with bucket typeV cutters, particularly under wet and clayey conditions, cannot occur. Instead of beingcar,- riedTtothe toprof the loop ofv chain and being discharged by inversion, the loosened earth is propelled-v t@ the 'surface and scattered rather freely adjacent the edges of the trench.

In order to discharge loose dirt outwardlyfrom thecenter line of the-trench ahead vof the beam 64" for prelirninarily4 leveling, a Vhorizontal auger isf-provided (see Fig. 3).'having a'shaftand oppositely directed flights |02, `I4 thereon. The shaft 98 `is supported ateach of its ends by swinging drop links Q5, |61, respectively, the'drcp link'l having adjacent'theretoa vhousing |06 provided 'with a detachable cover |05. It may be observed that the drop links 96, VI 01, are formed of two relatively s'lidable portionsenabling the level of lthe auger IUI! Ato be `initially adjusted. For establishing a driving connection between the shafts- 28,"93,"the shaftsl being provided with sprocketfwheels L'Il, |08, which lie .within the llusing `|05 and'iwhich ar'e in imesh with a. sprocket chain vI I2. 'Since the auger |00 is driven from the main drive-shaft 28, it will be apparent that its "speed fis syricninmifg/.ed Vrelative :to the speed ofthe digger chains. `The housing includes a: cover m5' for the obvious purpose of providingl access; such cover being securedby wing nuts I I4. VSince the link :96, which supports the auger I 00,' and thea'ssociated housing |06 are rigid with the "sleeve 34, and censequently the beam64, the auger |00 and the beam will move -as a' unit. Thus,' when the Vbeam is 'swung from the digging position shown in'Fig; -2 -to the transport position 2,519,077 ffl jiji shown in Fig. 4, the auger |00 will also swing upwardly to a position substantially above earth level and it will not interfere in any way with the high speed travel of the vehicle from job to job.

, Furtherin accordance with .the invention, an auger `having oppositelyfl directed flights is mounted along the rear edge of the beam and arranged to be driven directly by the digger chain IIB. In this position the auger is automatically 'lowered into the scraping or sweeping engagement with the earth upon lowering of the beam into itscutting position. The auger is indicated vat |28 and the manner of mounting and driving same is illustrated in detail in Fig, 5. The auger mounting. includes brackets |40 which are clamped or otherwise xed to the rear edge of the beam 64 and include suitable bearings |4|.

. wheel is of small size, it will be apparent that the lauger |28 is driven at relatively high speed in unisonv with the chain; thus the remaining dirt which has not already been laterally discharged by the auger IIN)` is formed into a pair of well defined ridges,V providing a well cleared path on each side of the trench. Since the driving Wheels, digger-chain; and conveyors are all coupled together for movement in unison, the cutting and conveying are automatically coordinated with one another so efficient operation may be had over arelatively wide range of engine speed.

vAfter digging has been completed, the beam and the associated: angers, are swung upwardly into the transport position disclosed in Fig. 4 by means ofA brackets V|50, 62. To .swingV the beam and augers upwardly -means are provided for rotating the sleeves 32, 34 on which thebeam 64 is mounted. -Inthe present instancev this `is effected by a handwheel together with a series of sprocket wheels and sprocket chains to provide sufficient mechanical advantage. As shown, in Fig. 2, two sprocket chains are used, indicated at 'l0 and 83 and coupled together by means of sprocket wheels mounted on a countershaft 14. Any suitable means may beprovided for locking the handwheel and thus the beam in, its` elevated position.

After the trench is dugand theinstallation of cable-or the like has beenA completed, a single pass with a conventional scraper on each side of the trench is sufficient to replace the earth which has been removed. A. It will be apparent that the earth may be watered down between passes if desiredto meet contractural requirements.

Iclaim` as my invention:` .--1. Ina trencher, a` frame for mounting on a traction vehicle, a beam arranged on said frame torextendY rearwardly and downwardly into the earth .and having an endless loop of cutter chain surrounding the same and trained'about the ends thereof, rst and second augers laterally centered with respect to said beam and having oppositely directed flights thereon,vsa'id rst auger being lo cated adjacent; the earth level forwardly of said beam and said second` auger being located at earth :level rearwardly of said beam and symmetrically arranged with respect to said first auger, and means for simultaneously driving said cutter chain and said augers sothat the earth elevated by said'eutters is moved laterally in each direction to provide a'clear path' on each side of the trench.u f

.2; In' atrencher; a frame for mounting'on a traction vehicle, a beam pivoted on said frame to swing rearwardly and downwardly into the earth and having an endless loop of sprocket chain surrounding the same and trained about the ends thereof, means for simultaneously driving said.

shaft having a sprocket wheel engaged by said chain for'driving said auger at a speed proportional to the speed of the cutter chain to clear a path on each side of the trench produced by said cutter chain.

3.` In a trencher for mounting on a tractor lor the like having a power take-off, the combination comprising a frame, a beam arranged to extend rearwardly and downwardly therefrom into the earth in trenching position, a loop of cutter chain trained about the ends of said beam and having a drive connection with said power take-off, an auger transversely mounted on the mid-portion of said beam and journalled for rotation thereon so as to be in sweeping engagement with the earth when the beam is in trenching position, said auger having oppositely directed ights, and means for driving said auger from said power take-oil for rotation in a direction to sweep the earth away from the trench produced by said cutter chain.

4. In a trencher for mounting on a tractor or the like having a power take-off, the combination comprising a frame, a beam arranged to extend rearwardly and downwardly therefrom into the earth in trenching position, a loop of cutter chain trained about the ends of said beam and having a drive connection with said power take-off, an auger transversely mounted on the mid-portion of said beam within said loop of chain and journalled for rotation thereon so as to be in sweeping engagement with the earth when the beam is in trenching position, said auger having oppositely directed flights and means for rotatively coupling said auger to the loop of chain for rotation in a direction to sweep the earth away from the trench produced by said cutter chain.

5. In a trencher, a frame for mounting on a traction vehicle, a beam arranged on said frame to extend rearwardly and downwardly into the earth and having an endless loop of cutter chain surrounding the same andtrained about the ends thereof, first and second augers laterally centered with respect to said beam and having oppositely directed flights thereon, said rst auger being located adjacent the earth level forwardly of said beam and said second auger being located at earth level rearwardly of said beam and symmetrically arranged with respect to said rst auger, means for simultaneously driving said cutter chain and said augers so that the earth elevated by said cutters is moved laterally in each direction to provide a clear path on each side of the trench, said beam being pivoted at its upper end, and means for swinging said beam and associated augers upwardly into a transport position clear of the earth.

6. In a trencher for mounting on a tractor having a power take-off, the combination comprising a frame, a cutter drive shaft coupled to said power take-off, said cutter drive shaft extending transversely in said frame and having a sprocket wheel mounted for rotation therewith, a beam pivoted in said frame for rotation about said cutter drive shaft between a lowered trenching position and an upraised transport position, said beam having a sprocket wheel journalled at the lower end thereof, a cutter chain having cutters thereon and trained around said sprocket wheels, anvauger conveyer having a shaft transversely arranged at the mid-portion of said beam and having its central portion journalled thereon, said conveyer having oppositely directed flights, said conveyer shaft having a sprocket wheel at the central portion thereof and arranged to engage the underside of said chain so that the auger conveyer is driven in unison with the movement of said cutter blades.

FRIEDRICH J. SCHMIDT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,437,594 Kelly Dec. 5, 1922 1,740,923 Jaeger Dec. 24, 1929 1,745,090 Geithle Jan. 28, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 44,205 Sweden June 26, 1918 

